Writing instrument



A ril 6, 1965 R. A. LANOIE WRITING INSTRUMENT Filed Jan. 30, 1963 INVENTOR BY RAYMOND A. LANOIE ATTORNEYS United States Patent D 3,176,661 WRiTENG Raymond A. Lannie, East Greenwich, RE, assignor to Lew Mfg. 43., a corporation of Rhode island Fiied Jan. 353, 1963, er. No. 254,971 3 Ciaims. (Q3. ran-42.03

This invention relates to a writing instrument in which the writing member is advanced and retracted within a casing with what is generally known in the trade as a propel-nepel mechanism.

It has been quite common to provide writing members of a cartridge variety in which the writing fluid was com tained within the cartridge. If the Writing member is to be carried in ones pocket, it becomes necessary that the exposed writing point be retracted into a casing to protect the clothing from becoming stained with the writing medium. Writing members of this general variety are referred to as ball point magazines which are an expend able item and need to be replaced after the writing fluid has been exhausted.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a propel-repel type of mechanism with a minimum number of parts which will accept a cartridge type of writing member.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means for loading the writing member into the propel-repel mechanism from the portion of the casing remote from the writing end and hold the same secured therein.

Specifically, an object of the invention is to reduce the cost of making the mechanism shown in my earlier Patent 3,027,873 of April 3, 1962.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the working parts of the writing instrument;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on an enlarged scale of the propel-repel mechanism which is the subject of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the helical member;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the carrier tube; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the cartridge can.

Referring now to the drawings, a guide tube is provided which extends for a substantial distance along the interior of the writing instrument and terminates at the lower end thereof in a tapered bushing 10' which is secured in the lower end of the bore of the casing of the writing instrument. This tube is slotted as at 11 adjacent the upper end thereof, and surrounding the guide tube 10 along the slot 11 is a helically slotted member 15 which is held in position on the guide tube by abutment means such as collars 12 and 13 which are held in position by staking as at 14. The other end of the helical tube is held in position by an abutment means such as a pair of wash ers 16 and 17 which are staked as at 1%. The staking at 18 is performed by the insertion of a tool through the slot 11 in tube 19. Preferably some means such as at 19 shown in the form of a collar frictionally embraces the helical :tube 15 so as to turn therewith and is held in position by detent 19', and this collar is adapted to be driven by another portion of the outer casing remote from the part engaging bushing 10' so that relative motion is, therefore, between the guide tube It} and the helical slotted tube 15.

Within the guide tube 16, there is slidingly received a carrier tube 2%? which may be formed of a single sheet of Bilhfihi Fatented Apr. 6, i965 ice tube a distance equal to the pitch angle of the helical tube 15 and which are adapted to extend outwardly through the slot 11 of the carrier tube into the helical slot of tube 15. Additionally, the end of the carrier tube 24 is provided with a tit 24 whichis of a lesser height than the fingers 22 and 23. This tit 24, thus, extends only up through the slot 11 of the carrier tube it? and passes freely underneath the helical tube 15 and the abutment means l6, 17. In order for staking at 18 to occur, the carrier tube 28 must be moved into the slotted tube 10 a distance suffieient to leave the slot 11 clear for the insertion of the staking tool, and this may readily occur as the short tit 24- may pass under washers l6 and 17.

As will be seen by referring to FIG. 2, when in retracted 10 a considerable distance. Accordingly, there may be removably secured to the free. end of this carrier tube a cartridge cap in the form of a cylinder 25 which is provided with a bayonet slot 2-5. The cap 25 is provided with a stepped bore having a small bore 28 and a larger bore 29. The smaller bore 23 irictionally receives the writing member 3%, while the larger bore 29 is adapted to firictionally slide over the carrier tube 20 and be locked thereon, the tit 24 being engaged in the bayonet slot as.

Accordingly, a very simple detachable form is provided herein by virtue of the bayonet slot and tit on the end of the carrier tube.

I claim:

1. An operating mechanism for a writing instrument having a forward end to be located toward the writing end of the instrument and a rear end to be located remote therefrom, said mechanism comprising relatively rotatable telescoping parts having respectively straight and helical slots, abutment means to hold said parts against axial movement including a member at the rear end of one of the parts surrounding the other part, a carrier tube of a size to permit a writing member to freely pass therethrough and movable within said parts and having an outwardly radially extending finger in both of said slots for movement of the tube axially in opposite directions, a writing member provided with a bayonet slot, said carrier tube projecting beyond the rear end of said parts, the projecting part of said tube being provided with a tit to releasably engage the bayonet slot of said writing member to lock the same to the carrier tube, said tit being of. an extent to pass beneath the abutment member at the rear end of said parts.

2. An operatingmcchanism for a writing instrument as in claim 1 wherein the tit is integral with the carrier tube and the writing member is provided with a collar for sliding in embracing relationship with said end of said tube, said collar having the bayonet slotfor cooperation with said tit.

material rolled into cylindricalfonn with a seam as at 21.

3. An operating mechanism for a writing instrument as in claim 1 wherein the tit extends radially a lesser distance than said finger'and is of an extent to pass freely beneath the outer part of said relatively rotatable telescoping parts.

Reierences Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 'L. WILLIAM VARNER, Primary Examiner.. v

IEROMEVSCHNALL, Examiner. 

1. AN OPERATING MECHANISM FOR A WRITING INSTRUMENT HAVING A FORWARD END TO BE LOCATED TOWARD THE WRITING END OF THE INSTRUMENT AND A REAR END TO BE LOCATED REMOTE THEREFROM, SAID MECHANISM COMPRISING RELATIVELY ROTATABLE TELESCOPING PARTS HAVING RESPECTIVELY STAIGHT AND HELICAL SLOTS, ABUTMENT MEANS TO HOLD SAID PARTS AGAINST AXIAL MOVEMENT INCLUDING A MEMBER AT THE REAR END OF ONE OF THE PARTS SURROUNDING THE OTHER PART, A CARRIER TUBE OF A SIZE TO PERMIT A WRITING MEMBER TO FREELY PASS THERETHROUGH AND MOVABLE WITHIN SAID PARTS AND HAVING AN OUTWARDLY RADIALLY EXTENDING FINGER IN BOTH OF SAID SLOTS FOR 